General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How many hours of sleep do you need? Rss Feed  
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2016-01-14 5:58 PM
in reply to: 0


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Sarasota, Florida
Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
Thank you for posting this! I have often wondered the same after reading many posts. Myself, for a very long time I was attempting to function off of 4 hours of sleep and struggled through my workouts. I have found 5 hours to be manageable but try to get my optimal 8. More if my back pain flairs up and interferes with sleep. Now I don't attempt if it's less than 5, unless it's a critical week. I usually get apx. 6 hours a night now after throwing in the towel with that 4 hour crap. My previous "problem" was I was stuck between working full time and going to college because I refuse to take loans out. I have never become comfortable with that social norm called debt.

Edited by runtim23 2016-01-14 6:00 PM


2016-01-15 7:23 PM
in reply to: ToxicDonkey

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538
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Brooklyn, New York
Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
Originally posted by ToxicDonkey

Take that TV out of the room if you have one and make your bedroom the cave it should be!. No caffeine after 12pm and get them kiddies to bed early (if you can). Keep that sleep schedule tight even on the weekends. To me it's all about keeping the same sleep pattern/schedule.



No caffeine after 12pm is not a universal rule
2016-01-15 7:45 PM
in reply to: 0

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Master
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Eugene, Oregon
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Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
True--If you've ever done a bike tour (or lived) in Europe....Everyone lingers over a cappucino or two after dessert, sometimes till 10 or 11 PM. And I can't recall ever having any trouble getting to sleep if I've been biking all day. I can actually drink coffee, brush my teeth, turn out the lights, and sleep like a log. At some point, fatigue overrides caffeine. At times I think caffeine actually helps me sleep then-- it helps decrease muscle soreness, which could affect my sleep.

For me it very much depends on what the day involved in terms of physical fatigue. If there was any swimming, no problem. I'll be out like a light no matter what/when I eat and drink. If there was a lot of volume but not too intense, likewise, no problem. What seems to be a bad combo is a light training day, or something short but intense and hot on the bike and run (or a race), and then caffeine after 2 PM or so--I'll be tossing and turning for hours. I think this stuff is very individual.

Edited by Hot Runner 2016-01-15 7:48 PM
2016-01-16 10:12 AM
in reply to: marysia83

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Sarnia, Ontario
Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
I'm glad this was posted, perfect timing. I'm getting back to training after a long hiatus and have been struggling with this.

So far all I've come up with is 'as much as possible'. 7 hours does not seem to be enough and 9 or so on the weekends seems to really improve my legs feeling like lead.

I wonder if after I get some fitness back will my sleep requirements change and if right now the stress of returning to training (from very poor condition) simply requires more sleep?
2016-01-16 1:22 PM
in reply to: jspelay

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Scottsdale, AZ
Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
I can usually get around 7/night…although I have one day where I sleep in late!
I've read plenty about sleep and performance and everyone is different. It's more important the AVERAGE amount of sleep you get over the course of several days, not the day to day number. So if on some days you get 5, but other nights a solid 8 then it works out.

Two days this past week I had major insomnia where I couldn't fall asleep, couldn't stay asleep and was just fighting it the whole time. Now it's gotten better and I'm back on a normal schedule and I didn't fall apart (although I was crabby :-)) Experiment with what works for you. If you can wake up refreshed, do your job, stay healthy and avoid illness and sleep well, then that number works.

Training for Ironman, I was very careful about getting enough sleep. I got up earlier than 4am 6 days a week and was in bed immediately once my 2 kids got to bed - usually 8:30 or 9pm. I was also getting so much fresh air and time outside that I think that helped my sleep, whereas now I'm inside most of the time and have a harder time sleeping, even though I'm still keeping to a training schedule.
Again, you have to find what works for you.

I wish I was one of those people that could get away with 5 hours, but I'm better around 7-8..
2016-01-16 6:08 PM
in reply to: marysia83


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Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
To feel at my best, I'd say 8 hours of solid rem sleep. But, typically I get 6 to 7 on weeknights, and then try to catch up on the weekends, with 10 hour sleep sessions, which doesn't really work, and most docs advise against that type of pattern. Best to rise at the same time you do during the work week but on the weekends, too...but, it's HARD to do!


2016-01-16 6:16 PM
in reply to: jspelay

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Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
I think the body does adapt to some extent, within limits. For almost 20 years I didn't do serious "training", maybe 2-4 runs a week, usually no more than 30-45 minutes at a time. When I started real training again, I remember that my need for sleep really increased for a while, from 7-8 hours to 9-10. Then it gradually decreased back to the original amount as 6-8 hours of training a week became the new "normal". But it increased again when I started tri training, particularly for HIM. During a hard week (in the 13-15 hour range for me), I really could use 9 hours a night, and can't function with less than 8. I will sleep 10 hours if I have the time (usually in one go only on vacation, often I take a nap after my long run or ride). That's at least an hour more than when I'm not doing any serious training.

Now training for my 4th HIM, and I still need that much sleep. So there seems to be some level beyond which the body simply needs the extra rest and doesn't really "adapt". I've also heard different things in regards to aging. I know some say they need less sleep than when they were younger--I'm 46 and I certainly haven't found that so far. In fact one of the biggest differences I see from when I was 26 is that I'm much more useless on less than 8 hours of sleep than I was back then!
2016-01-17 8:57 AM
in reply to: #5161309


71
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, Ontario
Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
I think you should aim for 7 as often as possible. That will be a challenge from what you have described. I survived for about five years on three to five hours of broken sleep when my kids were young but survival and improving skills, endurance, speed are far far apart. I think even 7 is cutting is close, for me I get seven most days but it is clear my body would like more - between two kids, demanding full time job and training hours it is hard to get more for me. If I go bellow seven I find I can't make any progress in training no matter how much I push myself. Good luck trying to balance it all and not cut the sleep time, it is tough.
2016-01-17 3:32 PM
in reply to: CarolynS


319
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Sarasota, Florida
Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
I haven't noticed much adaption to lack of sleep and I should add I only have one sprint under my belt and do this casually. I have always tried to workout 3-4 xs a week with my workouts usually clock in 45 min. I was also in my 20s when I did this consistently under 6 hours a night.
2016-01-18 5:27 PM
in reply to: #5162203


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Subject: RE: How many hours of sleep do you need?
I'm so jealous of all of you! I get up for work at 5 or 5:30, and it's pretty much impossible to get my older son to bed before 9. I essentially gave up TV a few years ago, but do need some alone time at night to read a book and decompress. Then mix in the baby, who still wakes up every few hours due to hunger/diaper/teething/illness or just because babies are evil and hate sleep. And a job that occasionally requires working until the wee hours. I would kill for seven consecutive hours, it's been over a year. 4 to 5 hours, broken, is my norm and some nights I get less. Hoping it gets better this year!
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